The Authentic Me: Hosted by Mel Yu
A mental health advocate with an honours in Psychology, and no stranger to the commercial world through her entrepreneurial endeavours, Mel is a sought-after empathetic and inspiring speaker. Mel Yu guides and encourages her community to live a meaningful life through the power of authentic story-telling. The Authentic Me connects powerful stories and life lessons to the ears of listeners by interviewing successful game-changers from all walks of life. Popular guests include Australian influencers, entertainment artists, life coaches and creative entrepreneurs. Common topics discussed involve self-development, successes, failures, mindset and how to create a life of purpose.
Episodes
This episode is a special one because I finally get to bring my right hand into the studio!
Meet Lily McCarthy, our Event Operations Manager at MCO Events, and someone who plays an integral role in bringing our biggest projects to life.
Before joining MCO, Lily built an extensive career delivering multi-day conferences for membership organisations, alongside experience working front of house in London's West End theatre scene. In fac...
This one's close to home for me because I used to head up the production team for this exact organisation and community!
Jon Yeo has held the TEDxMelbourne licence for almost two decades, curating some of the most talked about independent TED events in the world. He's spent his career studying why ideas connect and why some conversations simply stop us in our tracks.
In this episode, we go behind the curtain of TEDxMelbourne's upcomi...
I've wanted to have this conversation for a while because Heleena is someone I've always admired for the way she continues to evolve.
Most people know her as the co-founder of Bahari, one of Melbourne's best-known Greek restaurants. But what fascinates me is everything she's built beyond that. From Gringlish Co to Phlavour, she's constantly finding new ways to grow while staying true to who she is!
In this episode, we go far beyond h...
Scaling sounds exciting until you’re in it!
Michael Laps breaks down what actually happens when a business starts to grow. More responsibility, harder decisions, and a level of pressure most people don’t talk about.
Michael Laps is a marketing strategist and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience helping founders and leadership teams grow.
At 25, he founded Yoghurt Digital, building it into one of Australia’s ...
Okay this one feels different!
I finally got Corey on The Authentic Me Podcast. First time ever. And honestly, it’s been a long time coming.
You guys see what I do, but you’ve never really seen the man I’m dating and how he actually operates in business. So this episode is me bringing you into his world.
Corey is the co-founder behind Reminisce, Tailgate and eventflo. What started as backyard parties now pulls 11,000...
This one’s personal.
For the first time, I’m sitting down with my best friend, Olivia Porter, and we didn’t hold anything back.
This isn’t a highlight reel friendship. This is the version built through hard conversations, distance, growth, and choosing each other again and again, even when it would’ve been easier not to.
We get into what really tests a friendship. The moments that almost break it. The thi...
Everyone’s talking about AI right now. Few people are actually telling the truth about it.
This episode cuts through the noise.
I sat down with Jon Wellman, CEO of Vokke, and we got straight into it. No hype. No buzzwords. Just what actually works when you’re building real businesses with real stakes.
We unpack what most founders get wrong about AI, why more tools don’t fix broken systems, and how clarity beats speed...
As we close the Year of the Snake and move into the Year of the Horse, this episode is about momentum, identity shifts, and the one thing you know you’ve been avoiding.
In this solo episode, I share how I set goals using the four quadrants of life: business, mindset, relationships, and health. I walk you through a simple scoring system to assess where you sit right now and how to move the needle forward.
But this year, I’...
The Privilege of Travel and the Power of Perspective | Mel Yu | Ep 50
In this solo episode, I reflect on my recent trip to Brazil and Peru, from celebrating New Year’s Eve in Rio to hiking the Inca Trail and witnessing Machu Picchu in all its glory.
Beyond the beaches, the music, and the views, this trip gave me something deeper: perspective. As entrepreneurs, we spend so much time optimising, building, and pushing forward. But...
In this episode, we dive into the real story behind Aussietel Technologies and the founder who built it with grit, discipline, and heart. Ange Kallinikos opens up about growing up with a single mum, discovering work ethic through sport, stepping into sales young, and eventually creating a telco company that puts people before profit.
We talk about trust, leadership, customer experience, and why AI can actually bring humanity back in...
Mel Yu chats with Danny Kennedy, host of the Fitness and Lifestyle Podcast and founder of Younify Active, about the real connection between fitness, mindset, and success.
Danny shares his lessons on consistency, self-awareness, and creating space for growth — both in business and life. This one’s packed with honest insights, practical advice, and plenty of laughs.
Connect with Danny
Instagram: @djkfitness | @younify_ac...
I crossed the million-dollar mark this calendar year in 2025. It didn’t look how I pictured it. It felt real, steady, and earned.
In this ep, I chat with you guys on the 5 things I believe worked for me that got me over the line. Also.... nothing really changes because it's about profit at the end of the day and not just revenue!
Crossing seven figures didn’t change who I am. It just showed me what mattered. But I a...
What happens when your dream business collapses? In this episode, Mel sits down with Godwin Hili, founder of luxury tailoring label Godwin Charli, to talk about the lessons behind losing it all and finding purpose again.
Godwin opens up about burnout, rebuilding his life, and rediscovering joy through creativity. This raw and inspiring conversation is for anyone who’s faced failure and is ready to turn it into their greatest c...
Gratitude is easy when life’s good... but what about when it’s not? Because gratitude and graciousness hit harder when sh*t isn't going to plan.
In this solo episode, I share the heartbreaks and changes that forced me to slow down and look at what still mattered. These moments shaped how I hold gratitude in chaos, loss, and rebuilds. I speak about what helped me lead with grace when nothing made sense.
Content Warning...
Chent Thambiah is a startup entrepreneur and high performance coach with over a decade of impact across Oceania, Asia, and the UAE. He blends innovation, tech, and personal development to shape the next generation of founders and industry leaders. In this episode, we dive into his journey from street culture and personal loss, to global influence, coaching, and future tech.
A candid conversation on resilience, entrepreneurship...
The Authentic Me Podcast – Season 3
What started in my childhood bedroom back in 2020 during lockdown is finally returning - and it feels right now!
After a year of release and rebuilding in 2024, I’m stepping into 2025 feeling grounded, in love, and genuinely proud of the woman I’ve become.
This season, we’re going deeper. Expect raw reflections, honest conversations, and the belief systems that have shaped wh...
Is Love Really Enough for a Successful Relationship?
In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the complexities of love and relationships. I welcome back the world-renowned Relationship Coach, Dean Blankfield, to come and have this wholesome and deep chat with me as I am going through my own healing. Is love truly the key ingredient to long-lasting, fulfilling relationships, or is there more to it than just romance and fe...
Hey guys! This episode was recorded over a year ago in 2023 but it never made it to the podcast live! It's been a wild year and I'm keen on bringing back some episodes and conversations without the pressure of recording one every fortnight. So I will use this platform how I need it and if you check in from time to time, thank-you for your love! This one was with one of my own life coaches - Joel Brown... Enjoy!
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In...
On this episode, I have special guest (and my ace coaching client!), Katrina Weller - a Grief & Loss Specialist, Speaker and the founder of the Grow with Grief hub.
We discussed our experiences with grief and loss, reflecting on the impact it has had on our lives and relationships. We share the duality of emotions, the ongoing waves of grief, and the longing for the presence of our loved ones who have passed away.<...
Matthew John Kyoo Purcell (known professionally as Matt Purcell), is a South Korean-born Australian entrepreneur. Matt Purcell is Australia's leading personal branding expert and the founder of Australia's only verbal self-defence program, Kung Fu. Matt is on a mission to help doers think and thinkers do.
I was lucky enough to sit and have a chat with a fellow Asian- Australian to talk about our unique stories and how import...
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